(a) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a string fixing device for string instruments, and more particularly to a device for fixing ends of strings on one side to the head or the similar part especially of electric guitars.
(b) Description of the prior art
On string instruments, especially electric guitars or the similar instruments, it is conventional to strongly fix the strings to prevent them from loosening during performance since loosening of the strings causes deviation of intervals. As the conventional string fixing devices for this purpose, there are known the devices, for example, shown in FIG. 1 (Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. Sho 61-49393) and FIG. 2.
The string fixing device shown in FIG. 1 is of a type which is equipped with a nut 1 on the top surface of a neck 2 at the end thereof located on the side of a head 3, and the string fixing device is fixed on the top surface of the head 3. Speaking concretely, the string fixing device consists of a base plate 4 fixed on the head 3, a pressing piece 6 for pressing strings 5 onto the top surface of the base plate 4 and a screw 7 for fixing the pressing piece 6 to the base plate 4. Accordingly, height of the strings 5 over the neck 2 is adjusted by varying depths of the grooves formed in the nut 1. However, the string fixing device of this type poses a problem that the pressing piece 6 is apt to be floated up and sound intervals are delicately varied by clamping the pressing piece 6 when the grooves in the nut 1 are too shallow, or the strings 5 are apt to be floated up from the nut 1, thereby adversely affecting tone quality when the grooves in the nut 1 are too deep.
The string fixing device shown in FIG. 2 is arranged, in place of the nut, on the top surface of the boundary area between the neck 2 and the head 3. Speaking concretely, the string fixing device shown in FIG. 2 presses and fixes with the pressing piece 6 the strings 5 stretched between pegs 9 and a bridge (not shown) onto the top surface of the plate 4 fixed to the top surface of the head 5 by way of a spacer 8. The pressing piece 6 is fixed on the base plate 4 with a screw. Accordingly, height of the strings 5 is adjusted by interposing a spacer 8 having different thickness between the neck 2 and base plate 4 or cutting the top surface of the neck 2 since the base plate 4 of the string fixing device is made of a hard material taking friction with the string 5 into consideration.
However, these conventional string fixing devices pose problems that height of the strings is hardly adjustable with high precision, that the adjustment of string height is tedious since it requires cutting or the like of the neck other than the string fixing devices and that the string fixing devices are not suited for mass production.